We present a simple cellular automaton based model of decision making during
evacuation. Evacuees have to choose between two different exit routes,
resulting in a strategic decision making problem. Agents take their decisions
based on utility functions, these can be revised as the evacuation proceeds,
leading to complex interaction between individuals and to jamming transitions.
The model also includes the possibility to communicate and exchange information
with distant agents, information received may affect the decision of agents. We
show that under a wider range of evacuation scenarios performance of the model
system as a whole is optimal at an intermediate fraction of evacuees with
access to communication.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure
